Steps underway to process watermelon juice: Director
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 11 2024: The Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation has gathered all of the collectible watermelon from the farms in Bishnupur district, which were damaged by the recent hail storm, and process the same into juice at the Food Preservation Factory in Nilakuthi, director K Devdutta Sharma has informed.

On Saturday morning, an official team of the department led by the director visited the watermelon and other farms in Thinungei, Shunusiphai, Phubala and other areas of Bishnupur district.

The team found many of the watermelon damaged by the fierce hailstorm, some rotting away while others damaged only on the surface.

The official team, which consisted of MIDH Mission director Md Zakir Hussain, District Horticulture Officer and Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) officials and COCOMI Farmers' Wing convenor Konthoujam Thoiba also visited the ghost pepper (U-morok) farm at Wangoo in Kakching district to assess the damage caused by the hailstorm.

Speaking on the sidelines, director K Devdutta Sharma informed that the district officers of the department concerned have been surveying the affected farmlands since day after the storm.

After a detailed assessment of the survey reports, a report of the same would be submitted to the state government to ascertain the assistance to be provided to the farmers.

He continued that the inspections were carried out as per the instruction of the chief minister to assess the damage to crops in Bishnupur district.

It can be said that the damages are cent percent.

As such, the department will discuss immediate steps to be taken up.

Additionally, the department will be gathering the affected but usable watermelons and send it to Fruit Preservation Factory (MAGFRUIT) in Nilakuthi to be processed into juices.

In this regard, College of Agriculture, CAU dean Dr Ng Iboyaima will be consulted for the technological support, so as to prevent the farmers from losing all their money due to the natural disaster, he assured.

Presently, it is estimated that around 500 lou pari of 1200 farmers may have been damaged by the storm.

Discussion will be held with the chief minister and the higher authority of other departments about the immediate relief to be provided to the affected farmers.

The department will look into the technical aspects including what crops could be utilised instead, in addition to the basis of the compensation, which would require the government's decision.

In this regard, the department is trying to come up with necessary mechanisms, he conveyed.

Informing that for horticulture crops, farmers can avail crop insurance for cabbages and tomatoes under the Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana; Devdutta stated that the premium to be paid is miniscule, adding that natural calamity, floods, drought, infestation and extreme weather conditions are covered under the scheme.

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